Parket sees no causal link between forwarded nude photo and suicide of Daan (14) and asks to impose teenage girl course (Waregem)
Daan T. left life at the age of fourteen. – © RR
In the Kortrijk juvenile court, the case was dealt with around the forwarding of a nude photo of Daan T. (14) from Waregem by a 16-year-old girl in the meantime. Daan then stepped out of life. The public prosecutor sees no connection between his death and the forwarding of the photo, for Daan’s parents that is just the use of the process. « We only ask for a symbolic euro if the judge sees this connection, otherwise nothing, » says lawyer Thomas Vandemeulebroucke.
On January 9, 2023, Daan T. left life after persistent bullying. He was barely 14 years old. About eight months before his death, a nude photo of him went around. It was forwarded by a then 13-year-old girl.
Daan’s death was thoroughly investigated, but in the end only the girl who sent the photo had to answer for the juvenile court. Other possible bullies will remain out of the shot for the time being. Moreover, the public prosecutor sees no causal relationship between forwarding the photo and the bullying behavior or the death of Daan.
Read too. Parket investigates whether bullying has led to suicide Daan (14): « He saw no other way out »
Daan’s parents only ask for a symbolic euro, and only if there is a connection between forwarding the photo and the death of their son. – © Jof
Symbolic euro
The lawyer of Daan’s parents, however, contradicts this from the beginning. « For my clients, it is precisely the use of the procedure that this connection is demonstrated, » says lawyer Thomas Vandemeulebroucke. « We only ask for a symbolic euro compensation and have clearly told the court that we only ask if there is a causal link. »
Lawyer Stijn Dewolf, who assists the teenage girl, never disputed that his client sent the photo, but regrets that the counterparty therefore wants to hold her responsible for the death of Daan.
Lawyer Stijn Dewolf assists the teenage girl who forwarded the photo. – © Jof
Awareness course
« We do not regret that this is requested for a court, that is the place for that. We do regret that Daan’s counsel proposes in the press as if it was certain that Daan would still have lived if my client had not sent that photo. It is not that simple. »
« The problem is that my client cannot defend himself on such statements in the press without throwing the sensitivities of the file on the street. She doesn’t want to do that out of respect for the parents and the memory of Daan. She realizes all too well that she has committed a mistake. The public prosecutor’s office asked her to follow that awareness course and my client is certainly prepared.” ”” ”” ”
Judgment on June 20.
Anyone with questions about suicide can go to the suicide line on the free number 1813 and on the website www.zelfmoord1813.be.
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